Most facsimile (fax) machines are arranged to interface directly to facilities of the public telephone network. When a fax machine is utilized behind a key system or private branch exchange (PBX) system, a special interface is usually required to enable the fax machine to communicate using the proprietary protocol of the key/PBX system. In such an arrangement, the fax machine is not integrated into the key/PBX system operation, but merely uses the key/PBX as a conduit to access the public facilities. This type of arrangement requires that the user go to the fax machine location to initiate or receive fax transmissions.
While such an arrangement provides key/PBX users with a fax capability, undesirably the fax machine is not fully integrated with the key/PBX system operation.